Sean 'Diddy' Combs verdict: Combs won't be freed before sentencing

Tyrone Jones and his friend Jarva Land wanted to secure a spot inside the courthouse today, which they knew was no easy feat.

To make it happen, they slept on a bench — padded with two layers of cardboard — outside the courthouse last night. Their method proved successful — they were sixth in line and made it to the overflow room with no problem.

"It's my first time ever seeing something like this, a spectacle like this," Jones, who is from Rhode Island, told NBC News after Combs' bail hearing wrapped for the day and crowds at 500 Pearl St. began to thin.

Jarva, on the other hand, is no stranger to such a "spectacle." She said that she does "independent art media" and that she has been covering Comb's trial, and other hearings, voraciously. She said she has slept on the bench plenty of times to ensure a spot inside.

Combs will "sleep well" tonight despite remaining in jail.

"This is a huge win," defense lawyer Anna Estevao said outside court, celebrating three acquittals won for her client.

"He was acquitted of sex trafficking, acquitted of RICO conspiracy, he will be able to sleep well at night knowing that."

Combs attorney Xavier Donaldson urged people to "accept the call" to serve jury duty in his posttrial comments outside the courthouse.

"We need good people to serve on juries," Donaldson said. "We need good people to come and say a person is not guilty."

Teny Geragos thanked Combs for assembling a "dream team" of attorneys, as well as the jury for the hard work it put in every day of the trial.

"As I said in my opening, standing between all of us and the drastic consequences of the criminal convictions of sex trafficking and RICO is a jury of our peers," she said.

She added that Combs "has not sexually assaulted anyone" and that the media has gotten it wrong about Combs for nearly two years.

Combs faces multiple civil lawsuits brought by plaintiffs who did not testify at this trial. The threshold for civil cases is a "preponderance of evidence," which is lower than the standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt" required in criminal cases.

Agnifilo celebrated his side's partial victory.

"It’s a great victory for Sean Combs. It’s a great victory for the jury system," he said. "You saw that the Southern District of New York prosecutors came at him with all that they had."

He thanked jurors.

"One one thing stands between all of us and a prison, and that is a jury of 12 citizens," Agnifilo said.

Proud dad Mark Geragos blasted the prosecution's "ridiculous use of taxpayer resources" and labeled the case "a colossal failure."

The famed Southern California lawyer is the father of Combs' defense attorney Teny Geragos ,and he beamed with pride.

"As a helicopter parent, I couldn’t be prouder," he told reporters outside court.

Combs' mother, sons and daughters exited the courthouse, silent as they walked by reporters stationed outside the doors.

The women held hands as they walked by on the side of Combs' sons. Onlookers shouted at the family as they made their way into the van.

Combs was passing notes to Agnifilo as Agnifilo spoke to the judge to argue for Combs' release.

After Agnifilo finished, Combs raised his hand and started to get up, seemingly to speak. Agnifilo told the judge he would find out what Combs had to say, and Combs' attorneys rushed to speak with him.

Ultimately, he did not end up saying anything.

Combs beat a racketeering conspiracy charge when jurors found that he wasn't the head of a criminal conspiracy to organize his infamous "freak off" sessions.

A T-shirt-hawking entrepreneur made the most of the verdict outside court, saying Combs' sexual desires don't make him a violator of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). 

The court is clearing out with a sentencing date set for Oct. 3, though that might change as an expedited sentencing proceeding is being considered.

Subramanian asked both parties to meet with him for a remote conference Tuesday to discuss a proposal to move up the sentencing date.

After having heard additional arguments from lawyers, Subramanian ruled once more that Combs will not be allowed bail.

"The application for bail is denied for the reasons I said," he ruled.

Comey is pushing back against the defense's arguments to release Combs, telling the court that the only things exceptional about his ' circumstances are his wealth and brazenness.

She told the judge that Combs has a dangerous temper and that he has shown no remorse or regret. She said his brazenness was unmatched as he continued to violate the law despite being under investigation.

There was no reason to reconsider denying Combs bail, Comey told the judge.

Combs' attorney called him a "self-respecting businessman" who has earned the court's trust.

Agnifilo said his client has met all the court's order and should be allowed to post bail while he awaits sentencing.

He has shown a "drive to meet the case head on honorably, like a self-respecting businessman like he is," Agnifilo said.

The defense's own language is coming back to haunt Combs' team as Subramanian noted that Combs' attorneys conceded to the jury that there was violence in the case.

His attorneys said in their opening and closing arguments that Combs was guilty of domestic violence but that his offenses did not meet the bar of racketeering or sex trafficking.

Subramanian reminded attorney Marc Agnifilo of that, pushing back that that defense has not adequately proved that Combs is not a danger to the public.

Domestic violence is violence, Subramanian told Agnifilo.

Mann Act violators tend to be pimps making money off sex workers — but that's not the situation with Combs, his attorney said.

Agnifilo insisted Combs is nothing like the typical person convicted under the Mann Act because his bad acts don't involve his controlling prostitutes.

"This is not the case here," Agnifilo said.

Combs has been sitting with his head down and his hands in his lap, appearing deflated after his hopes of going home today were squashed.

Subramanian acknowledged the "great divide" between prosecutors and defense lawyers in their desire for Combs' sentencing.

Subramanian scheduled a remote status conference for Tuesday to hash out some details of the sentencing, saying, "Time is of the essence."

Combs' team is seeking a term of 21 to 27 months, while prosecutors want 51 to 63 months.

The judge ordered all sides to return to court on Oct. 3 for sentencing but noted that the date could move up if Combs' team seeks to expedite it.

The defense is seeking a term of 21 to 27 months, while the government hopes for 51 to 63 months.

Combs will get credit for the time he has spent detained so far.

Combs has a propensity for violence that often takes place behind closed doors, Subramanian said in outlining the reasons he denied bail.

He said Combs has engaged in a yearslong pattern of violence and continues to be unable to follow the law. He said Ventura's 2016 beating caught on hotel security cameras was without question was an act of domestic violence.

Subramanian also noted that in June 2024 there was violence against "Jane," one of the victims in the case, at a time when Combs should have known to keep himself clean and aboveboard. Homeland Security Investigations agents raided Combs’ homes in March 2024.

Combs supporters outside the courthouse were disappointed but not immediately angered by Subramanian's ruling that will keep Combs in custody.

Gasps and "aww, what?" reactions could be heard from the pro-Combs crowd outside federal court.

Subramanian said the prosecution appropriately cited the section of the Bail Reform Act that requires that Combs remain in custody until his sentencing, which has some exceptions.

Combs' circumstances do not warrant those exceptions, he decided.

According to the Bail Reform Act, defendants who been convicted must prove that they do not post flight risks or danger to the community to be released in the interim. Prosecutors argued that Combs did not meet that burden and provided letters on behalf of two witnesses who were worried about the danger Combs might pose upon release.

Ventura's attorney supplied one of the two letters.

Subramanian ruled that Combs should remain in custody while he awaits sentencing.

Combs was convicted on two counts of Mann Act violations for transporting male escorts and former girlfriends Ventura and "Jane" for sex. But he was acquitted of a pair of sex trafficking counts and one of racketeering conspiracy.

Combs' mother and children have returned the courthouse in two large vans as they wait to see whether he will be released or remain in federal custody.

Police are out in the street directing traffic around a crowd of onlookers, and journalists have gathered outside as people await the possibility of Combs' walking out.

Grammy-nominated singer Kesha came to Cassie Ventura's side, calling her a "beacon for every survivor."

Combs' videotaped beating of Ventura and her lawsuit against him were linchpins to the government's prosecution, which ended this morning with two convictions and three acquittals.

Kesha's hit single "Tik Tok" from 2009 has the popular lyrics "wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy," but she changed the words to "F---- P. Diddy" during a Coachella appearance last year.

Attorney Doug Wigdor, who represents Ventura, submitted a letter asking the court to deny Combs' release.

Wigdor referred to part of the Bail Reform Act to say detention is "mandatory" after convictions on the Mann Act charges.

He added that Ventura "believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community."

Former stylist Deonte Nash urged the judge to keep Combs in custody as he's allegedly still "a serious and immediate threat to victims, witnesses and the broader community."

Prosecutors have also asked the judge for Combs to remain in jail as he awaits sentencing.

Nash testified that he witnessed Combs physically abuse Cassie Ventura.

"Many of us have firsthand knowledge of the fear he instills in those around him," Nash said in a letter submitted today by prosecutors. "I can say without hesitation that he is a serious and immediate threat to victims, witnesses, and the broader community. His pattern of violence—particularly while engaged in the trafficking of individuals for prostitution—combined with unchecked substance abuse, makes it clear that he is not ready to re-enter society safely or responsibly."

Several of Combs’ children left the courthouse again ahead of the 5 p.m. bail hearing.

Combs is looking at dramatically less time in prison than prosecutors previously wanted to pursue, according to a letter submitted to the court to keep him detained.

While Comey previously told the court they would be seeking a maximum of 20 years in prison combined on the two counts, the letter now says the sentencing guidelines range from at least 51 to 63 months. The prosecution also argues in the letter that Combs is not entitled to release on bond.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton argued that Combs assaulted one of the victims, "Jane," while he knew he was under investigation.

"Even if detention was not mandatory here, which it is, the defendant cannot meet his burden to show by clear and convincing evidence that he is not likely to flee or pose a danger to any other person or the community," the letter said.

Judge Subramanian set Combs' bail hearing for 5 p.m. today.

So if the defendant does get out of jail, it probably won't happen until later today. The government is seeking to keep Combs in custody until his sentencing.

Combs' attorneys formalized their request to have Combs released on a secured $1 million bond co-signed by his mother, sister and eldest daughter.

Their letter to the court insists that Combs has been a model prisoner over the last several months and poses no flight risk. They asked for a bail package that would include Combs agreeing to surrender his passport to pretrial services and restricting his travel to Florida, California, New York, and New Jersey.

"Mr. Combs stands convicted of two Mann Act counts, and his sentencing exposure is substantially lower than when the government initially sought detention," the letter said. "The Court should release Mr. Combs on the proposed conditions."

The Combs verdict threatens to undo the sacrifice of those who came forward to testify to the abuse they endured, according to a statement from UltraViolet, a national women's advocacy organization.

Interim Director Arisha Hatch said the group stands with the "brave women and men" who took the stand to reveal who Combes "really is." Combs was acquitted on the top charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, but convicted on the lower charges regarding transportation for prostitution.

"Today’s verdict is not just a stain on a criminal justice system that for decades has failed to hold accountable abusers like Diddy, it’s also an indictment of a culture in which not believing women and victims of sexual assault remains endemic," Hatch said.

A courtroom deputy reads the verdicts before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian.

Prosecutors said they will ask for Combs to be sentenced to consecutive 10-year terms, the maximum time for his two guilty counts. But how much time he spends in prison remains to be seen.

Consecutive sentences are rare, and any sentence handed down against Combs would include the nine months he’s already spent in jail awaiting this just-concluded trial.

The courtroom has opened up roughly 20 minutes after the 1 p.m. deadline for both sides to submit their arguments on Combs' release.

His defense argued that he should be released to his Miami home, with conditions that include a $1 million secured bond, now that he's no longer charged with sex trafficking. Prosecutors disagreed vehemently, arguing that Combs spent years violating the law and a risk that he's going to commit more crimes.

The judge asked them to each submit letters for the arguments that he would consider in the afternoon.

Combs' best friend, Charlie Lucci, was overjoyed and said jurors "got it right."

"Everybody's happy that the jury's got it right," he told reporters outside court. "It restores faith back into the justice system."

He said the not-guilty verdicts brought him to tears.

"I cried," Lucci said. "I cried because that's my brother up there (on trial)."

Cafeteria food never tasted so good for Janice Combs as she went to grab lunch before court resumes.

When someone asked if she was happy about the mixed verdicts that generally favored her son, the defendant's mother said, "Yes, I was happy. Wouldn’t you be happy?”

The cafeteria was packed with courtroom spectators. The elder Combs shook hands with them before walking to a table with the defendant's family and friends.

Longtime Combs rival 50 Cent had a crude take on Combs' generally good morning in federal court today. He posted an apparently AI-generated image of him smiling and made an off-color remark while comparing Combs to late mob boss John Gotti.

"Diddy beat the Rio, that boy a bad man," 50 Cent captioned the photo, apparently referring to the RICO Act charge.

Members of Comb’s family, including several of his children, just returned to the courthouse. Combs’ mother, Janice Combs, re-entered the courthouse a little bit ago.

Aubrey O’Day, a former member of girl group Danity Kane, reacted to the Combs verdict this morning with just one word.

The longtime critic of Comb posted an Instagram story in which she reacted live to each count as it was read on the news, noting that he was not guilty on the top counts. O'Day wrote over the post with just one word: "wow."

"Ugh, this makes me physically ill," she said. She later added that she felt like she was going to vomit.

O’Day also seemed to express sympathy for Ventura, saying, "Cassie must feel so horrible."

Screams erupted from outside the downtown Manhattan courthouse — this time from the press.

Barricades did little to stop a rat from making its way through the large contingent of reporters waiting outside the courthouse, causing a brief moment of confusion and a bit of levity.

"RICO’s the rat’s name," yelled a person, referring to Combs’ racketeering charge.

Combs was on his knees in the courtroom with his head down in a chair, seemingly praying after avoiding life in prison on the highest charges in his case.

While Combs supporters celebrated outside the federal courthouse in downtown Manhattan, others expressed disappointment over the case online.

Many on X posted that they were "disappointed but not surprised" at today's verdict. Some felt that the prosecution's case presented a weak case on the top charges, while others noted that the jury's majority being men might have hurt the case.

One user wrote that his acquittal on the top charges is "a representation how evil our system is to women." Another person wrote that "it's clear Diddy is a criminal."

"He committed domestic violence, physical & sexual assault," the user wrote. "But they didn't seek those charges & so he won't have to pay for those crimes."

While Combs’ federal trial has reached a verdict, he still faces a deluge of lawsuits. 

Defense attorney Misty Marris said those cases will go on, and Combs won't have the same Fifth Amendment rights he had in the criminal case. In the civil cases, he can be compelled to testify if brought to trial. 

"The fact that he is not guilty on many of these charges, that’s going to be something the defense in those civil actions are going to raise. They’re going to say that this pattern — that a lot of these civil lawsuits allege that there’s a pattern of conduct — well, look at this criminal case. There’s been a determination. That being said, it’s not binding on any of those so those continue on," Marris explained.

She also noted that the standards in civil and criminal courts are different. In a criminal court, the prosecution must prove charges beyond a reasonable doubt. In a civil court, "it’s called preponderance of the evidence," Marris said. He can be found liable or not guilty, and the result of that is civil damages, meaning money, not jail time. 

A large police contingent moved into the streets around the federal court, with crowd-controlling barricades going up.

Worth Street was blocked off to traffic as Combs fans and onlookers added to the chaotic scene.

They appear to be waiting for Combs' defense team, and perhaps the defendant himself, to appear at some point this afternoon.

The mixed verdict was welcomed by Combs' supporters, who danced in celebration, with baby oil, outside the court.

After a shirtless man cut a rug outside federal court to show his joy for Combs, a woman in a bikini followed up with her celebratory dance.

She removed her wig while a man drizzled baby oil on her from a nearby ledge. Combs' use of baby oil in various sex acts was a frequent topic of testimony.

In finding Combs not guilty in Counts 2 and 4 — the sex trafficking of former girlfriends Cassie Ventura and "Jane" — jurors essentially said they don’t believe there was proof beyond a reasonable doubt that they were coerced or forced into sex acts.

Both counts carried 15-year minimum sentences and possibly life, so Combs's acquittal over those charges was a huge victory.

The former girlfriends testified that they felt they had no choice but to go to hotels and homes to perform in “freak offs,” in which they’d have sex with other men as Combs watched or recorded them.

Combs was convicted in Counts 3 and 5, the Mann Act Transportation of the women. The jurors essentially agreed with prosecutors that Combs paid male escorts to fly around the country to have sex with his girlfriends.

Combs' mother, Janice, returned to the courthouse about an hour after the family left.

She waved to a roaring crowd of her son's supporters gathered outside the federal buildings, blowing kisses at fans. It’s unclear what prompted her return.

Amid several journalists sporting NYPD press credentials outside the courthouse, an army of influencers competed for the same story.

Among them was Los Angeles-based YouTuber Armon Wiggins, who has more than 285,000 followers and has been chronicling the trial from the courthouse since it began roughly two months ago.

Wiggins declined to say how he felt about today’s verdict, saying that he tries to maintain a level of independence. But for him and other influencers out here today, the end of the trial was nothing short of victorious.

“We changed the face of media. We changed the face of how news gets out.” Wiggins. “It was a fight in the beginning because a lot of times people don’t respect the new media, but I’m one of those people who’s willing to fight with the traditional media because we do numbers.”

Wiggins said since he began covering the trial, he’s gained about 60,000 new followers on YouTube and nabbed several radio and TV appearances, including on TMZ and NewsNation.

“This is just the very beginning. At some point, the courts will have to adjust to that change and make credential spaces for influencers, he said. “Because at this point, we’ve infiltrated the judicial system."

Two men with opposing views on the Combs conviction screamed at each other outside the courthouse this morning, arguing over the severity of Combs' actions.

One man in a denim jacket and sunglasses questioned a man in a red shirt and bucket hat on whether Combs is going to prison and whether Combs is going to prison. The man in denim yelled that "he beat her."

“It doesn’t matter,” the man in red said.

“He beat her, he kicked her,” the man in denim shouted.

“And she liked it, how about that?” the man in red screamed back.

Ventura testified that Combs beat her on multiple occasions and text messages showed she confronted him several times over the matter. After he attacked her at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016, Ventura wrote to Combs that she was not a rag doll, she's "somebody’s child," according to messages entered into evidence.

Because Combs was convicted of federal charges, President Donald trump could theoretically pardon him.

Combs and trump had a friendly relationship before the real estate tycoon entered politics, and the president suggested to reporters a few weeks ago that he'd be open to considering a pardon.

From here, the defense and prosecution will submit to the court what they believe is an appropriate sentence for Combs. 

Attorney Misty Marris told NBC's Laura Jarrett that Combs’ team will likely ask for no more jail time, considering the time served, and the prosecution will likely ask for closer to the maximum recommendation.

From there, a probation department will review the case and make a recommendation based on various factors, including the fact that this is the first time he has been convicted of this type of charge and his behavior behind bars. 

“The judge is really limited in those sentencing guidelines. There’s discretion up to that 10 years, but they’re going to use those guidelines in order to really pin down what would be appropriate under the circumstances,” Marris said. 

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton released a joint statement with the Homeland Security Investigations field office following the Combs verdict. The statement thanked victims, prosecutors, and investigators, but did not address the acquittal on the highest counts.

The statement recognized that sex crimes are "all too present" in society nd that prosecution requires "brave victims to come forward and tell their harrowing stories.

"Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma," the statement said. "New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to justice."

Standing outside the courthouse, Cindnui Edwards said today’s verdict was "wonderful."

Edwards, 49, has attended the trial at least 15 times over the last few weeks. He arrived at the courthouse at 2:15 a.m. today to secure a spot in the main courtroom.

"I’m a Black man, he’s a Black man, we’re both from New York City," Edwards said. "And if it could happen to him, in my opinion, it could happen to anyone."

"I believe they tried to railroad him, they tried to target him, and I think they tried to take him down," he added, describing Combs’ charges as "trumped up" and "exaggerated."

The defense asked for Combs's release from prison and for him to be allowed to live in his Miami home, while noting that his plane was already sequestered. 

NBC legal analyst Kristen Gibbons Feden said: "I think there’s a high likelihood that he walks today."

"Keep in mind what the jury found," Feden said, noting he was found not guilty of the most serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. "So they really ripped out the threat element. They ripped out the violent element. They ripped out the violent parts of what the prosecution used as the main thing to keep them in bail," Feden explained. 

"With his plane sequestered with him and being Miami, and the fact that he is a celebrity, where he can’t really go unnoticed, there is a high likelihood that the judge may release him on bail today," she added.

Ramal "The Hometown Heat" Brown, a former hip-hop disc jockey at 105.3 KJAMZ in Tulsa, Oklahoma, believes that "depending on how many years he gets, I can see Diddy returning to the music industry without much backlash."

“He won’t be as celebrated as he was, but he’s powerful and has connections," he added, noting that music fans can be forgiving.

But then there are those who believe the music executive still has legal troubles ahead.

"The reality is this is far from over, Diddy is still facing dozens of civil lawsuits that he’ll have to contend with, so he’s going to be in a very long legal fight," said Shamira Ibrahim, a freelance culture writer. "The biggest impact from the case is how eyes were opened to how Diddy weaponized his position in the music industry to abuse women and put people into insecure positions and that won’t go away anytime soon."

When asked how his father was feeling, Combs' son Christian said, “Great,” and his daughters added, “Good, happy.”

As Comey explained, Combs could serve up to 20 years, the family’s joy faded slightly, although they still looked happy as they left the court.

“Thank you, love you,” Combs told his loved ones in court, as he was led away for at least a few more hours of custody.

Doug Wigdor, the attorney representing Cassie Ventura, told reporters outside the courthouse that his team is pleased that Combs has "finally been held accountable."

"Of course, we would have liked to have seen a conviction on the sex crimes and RICO, but we understand that ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ is a high standard," Wigdor said. "We’re just pleased he still faces substantial jail time."

Combs family members, including his mom and son Justin, just left the courthouse without stopping for the crowd of waiting media.

A crowd of supporters surrounded the family’s waiting van, shouting "Free Puff! Free Puff! Free Puff!"

The jurors were stone-faced and didn't appear to look at Combs as they delivered a mixed verdict that seemed to please the defendant.

Combs held Geragos’ hand tightly as the verdict was read.

The defendant nodded to the jurors as Judge Subramanian thanked them for their service.

Combs' loved ones in court included his six children and Dana Tran, the mother of his youngest child.

NBC’s Chloe Melas described today's verdict as a “massive victory” for Combs, considering the music mogul was facing life in prison.

The jury found Combs not guilty of sex trafficking, which has a mandatory 15-year minimum in prison, and not guilty of running a criminal enterprise. It was such an emotional moment for Combs' legal team that Teny Geragos, one of his attorneys, was seen wiping tears. 

"Prosecutors, they painted Combs as somebody that was beating women, which they owned up to, but running a criminal enterprise and that he sex trafficked two of his former girlfriends, Cassie Ventura and also 'Jane,' who testified under a pseudonym. This is undoubtedly a massive blow to the prosecution, who brought 34 witnesses,” Melas said outside the courtroom.

Melas said that being in court every day, she could see that the government's argument did not convince some jurors.

“You could tell that there were several of them that were not buying what the prosecution was putting forth in their arguments. I saw some roll their eyes. I saw some even fall asleep. Some clearly not buying what the prosecution was saying in their closing arguments,” she explained.

A woman talks on the phone and raises her arms after the jury reached a verdict in the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial at federal court in New York City today.

In the blocks surrounding the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan, dozens of journalists stood behind metal barricades, glued to their phones as the verdict came through. The weekslong, round-the-clock coverage of the trial has rivaled few other criminal cases in recent years.

The courtroom is clearing out as the judge awaits submissions from both prosecutors and defense on whether to release Combs on bail until his sentencing.

Combs was on his knees in the courtroom with his head down in a chair, seemingly praying after avoiding life in prison on the highest charges in his case.

His family stood in the background, clapping and cheering. The defense attorneys hugged each other, and Combs hugged lawyer Brian Steel.

The judge granted prosecutors a few hours to write a letter stating their case to deny Combs bail based on the Mann Act conviction.

Comey asked for a few hours to prepare their argument, and the judge agreed to take submissions on the matter from both the government and defense at 1 p.m.

The government told Judge Subramanian that Combs should remain in jail until sentencing.

Prosecutor Maurene Comey said the government will seek a 20-year maximum for Combs.

Combs' attorney Marc Agnifilo asked the court to release Combs from federal detention, where he has been for nearly a year.

Now that Combs is no longer charged with sex trafficking, Agnifilo asked that he be released on conditions to his home in Miami and offered a $1 million bond.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian addressed the jury regarding the considerable press that Combs' trial has received over the last several weeks.

He advised the group that members of the media will want to speak to them, but they are free to refuse interviews. Subramanian also asked the media to refrain from asking jurors about their specific deliberations.

What happens in the jury room, stays in the jury room, Subramanian said.

He ended by thanking the jury for their sacrifice and asked them to go to the jury room, where he wanted to personally meet with them.

The defense won three acquittals, with Combs found guilty of the Mann Act transportation of former girlfriends Cassie Ventura and "Jane."

He was found not guilty of running a criminal enterprise and two counts of sex trafficking.

Combs was found guilty of count 5, the Mann Act transportation of former girlfriend Jane.

Combs was found not guilty of count 4, the sex trafficking of former girlfriend Jane.

Combs was found guilty on count three, the Mann Act transportation of Casandra Ventura.

Combs was found not guilty of count two, the sex trafficking of Casandra Ventura.

Combs was found not guilty on count one, racketeering conspiracy.

The jury has returned to the courtroom after sending a note to the judge at 9:52 a.m. saying it has reached a verdict on all counts.

Combs' defense team has returned to the courtroom. His family has arrived, and he is walking in with his hands in a prayer position.

The jury deliberated for 13 hours in total across three days.

Over six weeks, prosecutors called 34 witnesses to argue their case against Combs. The witnesses ranged from alleged victims and escorts to law enforcement agents and assistants.

Singer Cassie Ventura, Combs’ ex-girlfriend, testified in court and accused Combs of physical abuse, control and of having her participate in drug-fueled sexual encounters with male escorts. The pregnant Ventura testified for four grueling days that she didn’t want to engage in “freak offs“ but “just didn’t feel like I had much of a choice.”

Rapper Scott Mescudi, known professionally as Kid Cudi, testified about his relationship with Ventura and the abusive nature of her relationship with Combs. 

Other key witnesses included a former personal assistant to Combs, who went by the pseudonym “Mia,” and another former girlfriend of Combs, identified in court as “Jane.”

“Mia” accused Combs of sexually assaulting her on multiple occasions and said she witnessed Combs lashing out violently against Ventura. Mia also described cleaning up after the couple’s “hotel nights.”

Jane testified to participating in “hotel nights,“ sleeping with escorts to please Combs. His constant need for sex for entertainment left her “sore, tired, exhausted and overwhelmed,” Jane said.

The jury has alerted the court that it has decided on all five of Combs' charges.

Yesterday, the jury told the judge that it had reached a verdict on four counts but could not reach a consensus on the racketeering charge. The judge told the jury to continue deliberating and that it should not hesitate to change opinions.

Combs led his family in a prayer as they waited out deliberations in the courtroom.

"Let us pray, please watch over my family," the music mogul said. "Amen.”

The family and some of its supporters clapped in court. 

Combs sat alone, reading at the defense table, while his attorneys huddled against a wall, gesticulating and conversing.

The defendant's mother, Janice Combs, and children are seated in court, chatting with people around them.

Prosecutors have not entered the courtroom yet.

As the clock struck 9 a.m. today, Combs stood at the defense table and conferred with Marc Agnifilo, one of his attorneys. Jurors were expected to resume their talks at 9 a.m.

The defendant placed some books on the table and looked through an expanding file folder as Agnifilo paced up and down the side of the well.

The music mogul could be within minutes or hours of learning his fate.

Combs' mother and six eldest children were in the courtroom yesterday, along with the mother of his youngest child, Dana Tran. As Combs got up to leave court, he turned to his family, blew a kiss and said, “See you tomorrow.”

His mother asked about the verdicts and Combs said, “They came back with four verdicts and we’re waiting on count one… It’ll be all right, I love you.” Combs had a slight smile, but his usual optimism appeared notably more subdued. 

The courtroom became tense when the jury’s afternoon note came in, and Combs' defense team formed a tight huddle around him. Combs appeared dejected and stared at the floor with his hands folded in his lap. 

Jurors said yesterday they are having trouble reaching a consensus on the racketeering conspiracy charge against Combs.

The prosecution argued that Combs is a part of a "criminal enterprise," allegedly using his businesses and employees to carry out crimes such as kidnapping, arson, sex trafficking and to coerce women to perform sex acts. The government argued Combs’ staffers were involved in booking the hotels and setting them up with baby oil for "freak-offs."

The defense argued that Combs didn’t engage in a criminal enterprise; rather, his freak-off nights were part of his personal sex life with his girlfriends and escorts. His lawyers claimed he tried to hide the true nature of those nights from his staff.

Judge Arun Subramanian told the jury to consider four elements in determining whether Combs violated the RICO Act. 

They must determine whether there was an agreement — whether spoken or unspoken — by at least two people to participate in a criminal enterprise; they must conclude that Combs was a willful member, he knowingly committed two predicate crimes as part of the criminal conspiracy, and racketeering activities must have affected interstate or foreign commerce. 

Jury deliberations happen behind closed doors, but the public can gain some insight into their process if the group sends notes to the court seeking clarification on specific elements of the case.

On Monday, the jury sent a note asking the judge to clarify whether a person who hands someone drugs is a distributor if the recipient specifically asked for the substance. Combs is not charged with drug distribution, but the prosecution has accused him of possession with the intent to distribute drugs as part of his "criminal enterprise."

The jury must agree that Combs committed at least two of the predicate crimes under the RICO Act as one of the criteria for the racketeering charge. Its instructions list drug distribution as a predicate crime in addition to kidnapping, arson, bribery, witness tampering, forced labor, sex trafficking, and transportation for the purposes of prostitution.

Yesterday, the jury seemed to want to revisit specific violent incidents that allegedly occurred between Combs and Cassie Ventura.

It asked for transcript excerpts from testimony about the InterContinental Hotel assault in March 2016 and an incident where she was allegedly assaulted by Combs during a "freak off" at the Essex House hotel. The jury also asked for her testimony about an incident at the Cannes Film Festival, where Ventura said Combs kicked her off the yacht where they were staying without her belongings, then later threatened to release a sex tape while they were on a plane home.

Deliberations enter their third day today after jurors reached a partial verdict yesterday afternoon.

The group sent a note to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian at 4:19 p.m. yesterday to let him know it has reached a consensus on four charges but cannot agree on a verdict for count one.

Count one is the racketeering charge, which accuses Combs of being part of a "criminal enterprise."

Both the prosecution and defense asked the judge to instruct the jury to continue deliberations. The jury has only been deliberating for about 13 hours, as the case was handed to it just before noon Monday.

Subramanian told the jury to continue discussing the count and urged it to "keep an open mind." It should not hesitate to change its opinion if it has been convinced.